The two main influences on the band are the Beatles and Black Sabbath, and keyboardist Josh Silver has expressed a love of Pink Floyd--evidence of which can be heard in the atmospherics of his production techniques.
The band arose from the ashes of the band Carnivore and gained popularity with their songs "Black No. 1" and "Christian Woman" from the Bloody Kisses album. The album was the first in Roadrunner Records' catalog to go both gold and platinum. They have successfully toured with Pantera, Life of Agony, and dozens of other established and up-and-coming bands, as well as taking part in Ozzfest. The band had VHS and DVD documentary releases in addition to their CD releases and contributions to movie soundtracks and compilations.
Steele died of sepsis caused by diverticulitis (initially reported as heart failure) on April 14 2010 at the age of 48.
Singles and video-featured songs
Black No. 1 - 1993
Christian Woman - 1993
Cinnamon Girl - 1996
Everyone I Love Is Dead - 1999
Everything Dies - 1999
I Don't Wanna Be Me - 2003
Love You to Death - 1996
My Girlfriend's Girlfriend - 1996
Profits of Doom - 2007
September Sun - 2007
Summer Breeze - 1993
Discography
Slow, Deep and Hard - 1991
Origin of The Feces - 1992
Bloody Kisses - 1993
October Rust- 1996
World Coming Down - 1999
Life Is Killing Me - 2003
Dead Again - 2007
Members
Peter Steele - Vocals, bass guitar and songwriting (1990-2010)
Josh Silver - Keyboards (1990-2010)
Kenny Hickey - Guitar and backing vocals (1990-2010)
Johnny Kelly - Drums (1994-2010)
Sal Abruscato - Drums (1990-1993)
12
Type O Negative Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unbridled minds you see are so much worse
Too much pity spent and wasting time
Irresponsibility not my only crime
Obsessive thinking, depressed drinking
The person I once was, he's dead
Exhume the past this time or be my last
This is my final quest to remove my mask
Don't be afraid as she pulled down the shade
Said there's nothing to fear but the monster is here
So just tell me the time, be it quarter of nine
Since the sun's gone away, now the creature will play
Ice blue eyes follow me everywhere I go
Making my heart appear as lead
I hate to wish it but I'll tell you though
That I'm quite ready 'cause I'm already dead
The lyrics of "12" by Type O Negative are a reflection of the singer's mental state. The opening lines "Idle hands may be the devil's work, Unbridled minds you see are so much worse" convey a sense of restlessness and lack of direction, suggesting a fear of one's own ability to think and act without direction. The line "Irresponsibility not my only crime" hints at a sense of moral ambiguity and self-doubt, perhaps due to past actions or regrets.
As the song progresses, the lyrics focus on darker themes of depression and obsession. The line "Obsessive thinking, depressed drinking" suggests a cycle of depression and self-medication. The line "Exhume the past this time or be my last, This is my final quest to remove my mask" implies a desire to confront one's past in order to move forward, but also a fear of what will happen if this path is not taken.
The middle section of the song seems to describe a sense of paranoia and fear, with the line "Don't be afraid as she pulled down the shade, Said there's nothing to fear but the monster is here". This fear is directed towards the self, as further evidenced by the line "Ice blue eyes follow me everywhere I go, Making my heart appear as lead". This line suggests a self-imposed sense of guilt or fear, as if the singer is constantly being watched or judged by someone, perhaps themselves.
The final lines of the song "I hate to wish it but I'll tell you though, That I'm quite ready 'cause I'm already dead" suggest a desire to be released from the pain and torment of the present, a longing for a sense of peace or finality.
Line by Line Meaning
Idle hands may be the devil's work
If you aren’t doing anything useful, you might be tempted to do something immoral or evil.
Unbridled minds you see are so much worse
Having no restrictions on your thoughts can be more dangerous and harmful than not doing anything at all.
Too much pity spent and wasting time
Feeling sorry for yourself and not using your time wisely is a wasted effort.
Irresponsibility not my only crime
Besides being irresponsible, I have also committed other errors or wrongdoings.
Obsessive thinking, depressed drinking
I can’t stop thinking about things, and it drives me to drink excessively just to cope.
The person I once was, he's dead
I'm no longer the same person I once was and have changed significantly over time.
Exhume the past this time or be my last
I need to address my past issues because if I don’t, it will be the death of me.
This is my final quest to remove my mask
I'm determined to end the façade I've put on and reveal the true me.
Don't be afraid as she pulled down the shade
You have nothing to fear, despite the darkness around us.
Said, there's nothing to fear but the monster is here
Although I just said there's nothing to be scared of, there is a monster around us.
So just tell me the time, be it quarter of nine
What time is it? Is it a quarter to nine?
Since the sun's gone away, now the creature will play
Now that it's dark out, the monster is free to do as it pleases.
Ice blue eyes follow me everywhere I go
I feel like someone is always watching or staring at me, making me uncomfortable.
Making my heart appear as lead
My heart feels heavy and burdened because of this constant anxiety.
I hate to wish it but I'll tell you though
I don't like admitting it, but I have to be honest with you.
That I'm quite ready 'cause I'm already dead
I'm prepared for death because it feels like I'm already there.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER THOMAS STEELE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind